A Fated Meeting
by Midnight Insomniac
Summary: Tenten tried not to gape and sputter like a fish out of water. She, the awkward, borderline anti-social nerd had just scored the number of one of the city's most wanted bachelors. Only chapter one is rewritten! The other rewritten chapters will be uploaded shortly.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Guess who decided to finally get around to rewriting this? I have yet to rewrite the other chapters, but here's a taste of the revamped edition. It's still not where I want it, but I think it's a hell of a lot better than my first try. I was going to upload the entire rewritten story at once, but this is like more than a year overdue. Sorry for the wait! **

**Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

…**..**

_They met on a rainy Tuesday. _

Tenten tapped her foot impatiently on the linoleum floor of the airport, shivering as she waited for her coffee. She pulled her navy cardigan tighter around her form, letting out a long sigh. It was a _lovely_ Tuesday evening in Chicago, with all the rain and gloom and thunder- absolutely _perfect._ The female swore under her breath, turning her attention away from the window. The weather was making her nervous; a freak storm was never the ideal flying condition. _It has been sunny and warm all week. Of course damn karma has to come and bite me on the ass_, she thought angrily.

"Excuse me miss," the barista said, holding out a steaming cup of joe towards her. She graciously accepted it, thanking heavens as it warmed her freezing hands. Hoisting her bag on her shoulder and reclaiming a firm grip on her suitcase, she headed off in the direction of her terminal.

Even at night, O'Hare was crowded, the sea of people creating white noise around her. Settling herself in one of the few available seats near the window, she took large gulps of coffee, too cold to care about how it burned her tongue and throat. She downed the beverage in a minute and disposed of it the nearby receptacle, making a mental note to order a larger size next time. Never one to just sit around idle, Tenten fished out a tattered novel, opened it to chapter nineteen and began reading.

"Is this seat taken?" asked a deep, baritone voice, the owner of which towered over her, casting a shadow onto the page of her book. Tenten looked up, a little startled, disgruntled she had been so engrossed in her reading that she had failed to maintain an awareness of her surroundings. "Miss?" the man pressed again.

"Oh- no, please sit," she replied quickly, grabbing her bag and placing it on the floor near her feet. The stranger nodded his thanks.

The next ten minutes were antagonizing for the brunette female. No matter how hard she tried to direct her attention back to her novel, her eyes kept shifting to the man beside her. He was handsome, with aristocratic features. Tenten mentally traced the curve of his jaw, imagining what it'd be like to run a finger down his flawless face. The thought was captivating, and though she severely denied it, she did not mind being bombarded with such ideas. Eventually, she closed her book, intent on picking at her sweater and sneaking continual glances at the man.

He caught her eye once or twice, but thought nothing of it (for which she was grateful). However, the third time, when Tenten could _feel_ his gaze as he watched her harass her clothing, he spoke: "Do you find me amusing?"

The female spluttered, choking on her saliva, thoroughly surprised at him. The tips of her ears burned, and she cursed herself for her wild, infatuated imagination (she had been in the middle of her dream wedding). "E-excuse me?"

"Do you find me amusing?" he repeated with the patience she lacked.

"O-of course not! It's just (a jolt of inspiration) you have something on your face," she told him, reaching out and indulging some of those fantasies she had been conjuring. He (to his own amazement it seemed as well) did not move away. Tenten withdrew her finger quickly, lest she get too carried away.

"There, that's better," she lied.

Neji cleared his throat, not accustomed to such behavior (he never liked being touched, especially on the face). "Thank you, I guess." He gave her one last wary look, than turned back to his work.

_You have something on your face? Really? What the hell is wrong with you? Stop looking at him damn it! _

"Err… nice weather we're having huh?" Tenten commented, wanting to bash her head against the wall as soon as the words slipped out. The man raised an eyebrow, glanced out the window, and then returned his attention to her.

"I suppose. I don't like the cold much."

"Neither do I. I always get sick. My friends laugh at me 'cause I'm always bundled in sweaters over two layers of clothes," the female said, with a meek laugh.

"Chicago's winters are brutal," the man offered. "I'm Neji Hyuuga," he added, holding out his hand. Her eyes widened a bit at the name_. I'm such a dunce. How could I not recognize him?_

"Tenten Murakami." She tried her best to keep the excitement and nerves at bay as she spoke. They shook.

"So why are you going to New York?" the Hyuuga asked, stuffing his laptop in his bag.

She had been trying not to think about the reason behind her trip, for she did not find it particularly favorable. "Err… just visiting family," she said, but it sounded so forced, she knew he wouldn't believe it.

"If you do not wish to tell me the truth, spare your soul from further sinning and say as much. I'm not one to pry into people's business. Everyone has secrets," Neji told her. The last sentence sparked the Murakami's curiosity, and it took immense effort to not blurt out all her questions.

"Why are you going?" she asked instead.

"Business conference. Tedious, but necessary."

"You don't like traveling?" the brunette female questioned. At this, the man shrugged.

"You?"

Tenten shook her head. "Planes scare me, and with all the accidents in the news, I'd rather not. God I'd need one hell of a lawyer to defend me if my stuff was damaged or lost too- airline companies are so rude these days."

"I'm a lawyer," Neji cut in. _No kidding sweetheart, who doesn't know that?_ He fished around the inside pocket of his blazer and pulled out a business card. Tenten blinked as her gaze wandered from him to the card, then she gingerly took it from his hand, running a thumb across the raised ink that read _Hyuuga Lawyer Corp. _Neji pulled it from her fingers and flipped it over, beginning to write something in neat, elegant script. "Here's my cell phone number," he told her, placing his pen back in his pocket. "Call me if you ever need any assistance."

Tenten tried not to gape and sputter like a fish out of water. She, the awkward, borderline anti-social nerd had just scored the number of one of the city's most wanted bachelors. All she wanted now was to hug something (preferably him) and squeal with glee. Ever the actress, she retained her composure as best she could and kindly thanked him. He gave her a small smile of his own and stood up, grabbing his things.

"I'm sorry, the wi-fi here is terrible. I'm going to see if I have better luck in the lounge. It was nice meeting you, Tenten." The brunette managed to squeak out a "nice to meet you too" and another thank you before he took his leave. She watched him until he was out of her sight, then she sunk down in the chair, curling up into a ball, too excited to even remember the article she had read in the cab about how unsanitary airport seating actually was.

She hurriedly took out her phone, fingers trembling from the adrenaline as she searched through her contacts for her best friend's number. She needed to tell someone about this, _now_. Her bubble was burst, however, when her phone buzzed and displayed a text from her current enemy number 1. With that all the dread came rushing back and the reason for her trip burned in her mind and made her stomach flip-flop. She stuffed her phone into the bottom of her purse (though she very carefully placed the business card in her wallet), and crossed her arms, frowning. She took a glance out the window, mood soiled.

Her phone buzzed again, but she ignored it. Another buzz and she was just about ready to drop the damn thing in the trash when the gate attendant announced it was time to begin boarding, Sighing she gathered her bags and moved to wait in line. She almost jumped when she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned so quickly she almost smacked the person in front of her with her bag. "Hi," she said when she realized she once again face to face with Neji Hyuuga.

"Hello, Tenten. We meet again." She decided she liked the way he said her name and she tried her best to smile with all the ugly thoughts racing through her head. "Where will you be seated?"

"Umm… seat 2A. You?"

"2B. It seems fate has given us a little more time together."

"I guess so," she replied, unsure of what to make of that statement. She held his gaze until he pointed out that the line had moved up. She turned, ears burning, and handed her pass to the gate attendant. She waited for Neji to do the same and the two walked the length of the connector in surprisingly comfortable silence. He took her suitcase from her hand and wordlessly placed it in the overhead bin once they were onboard, nodding when she thanked him.

As they took off, Tenten snuck a glance at him, heart sinking and stomach coiling. Things like Neji, they were something she would never have.

…**..**

**A/N: There are spoilers in the next chapters though I'm definitely changing some of the plot, so don't read them if you want it all to be a surprise (or you don't want to get confused). I think this may actually turn out longer than I originally wanted it to be. **

**Thank you for reading and please review! **

**~M.I. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: All right, this story was a lot more popular than I thought it would be. So… here's chapter two!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

…**..**

Neji gently set down his cup of coffee, careful not to disturb the silence. He glanced around the breakfast table with weary eyes.

His ten year-old cousin, Hanabi, was gorging herself with pancakes. His twenty-one year-old cousin, Hinata, had been sipping green tea non-stop for five minutes straight. His uncle, aunt, and parents shared awkward smiles between moth full's.

Hiashi cleared his throat, attracting the stares of everyone. "So… what are we going to have for dinner?" he asked.

And then everyone began to speak at once.

"Turkey!"

"Salad!"

"Pasta!"

"Sweet potatoes!"

"Apple pie!"

"Tacos with beef, and tomatoes, and lettuce, and cheese, and broccoli, and mayonnaise, and ketchup, and mustard, and rice, and bologna, and ham, and chocolate, all served with a cherry on top!" Hanabi finished proudly.

Hinata smacked her sister on the head. "Hanabi! That's disgusting!"

"No it's not! You're disgusting!" she shot back.

Unfortunately, Neji was sitting right between the quarreling siblings (who were now reaching across him to hit each other).

"Both of you, shut up," he hissed, grabbing a flailing hand that nearly slapped him in the face.

"Anyway…" Hiashi said after giving each of his daughters measured looks. "I say we have a traditional dish, like… pizza. "

Hanabi raised her eyebrows in a disbelieving manner, "That's _traditional_?"

"Well…no, but I have a coupon." Hiashi smiled sheepishly.

Neji resisted the urge to bash his head against the table. Why was his family so odd?

"I don't think that's the type of dinner we had in mind. Why don't you save that coupon for another day, alright?" he suggested, attracting nods of agreement from his relatives.

"Well then, let's get shopping, shall we?" Neji's mother stood up, clapping her hands twice to signal the others to make haste.

-With Tenten-

The Murakami sat curled up in a chair in the hotel restaurant. A steaming mug of coffee was placed on the table before her, along with a plate covered in crumbs. The brunette female flipped to the next page of the newspaper, mindlessly scanning the articles as her thoughts were elsewhere.

She fished out a crumpled note from her pocket, staring at the signature at the bottom.

"Neji…" she whispered. She brushed her finger over his name, smiling as she remembered his face, and smile, and laugh, and-and everything that was him.

She had memorized his phone number by heart, and her fingers had itched since the last time she saw him, to call.

She chewed on her lip, not knowing what to do. "But today's Thanksgiving. He'll be with his family. I can't disturb him now. But still… he said call anytime."

Tenten shook her head, picked up her mug, and took a large gulp of her beverage.

She set aside her newspaper and was about to get up and grab another croissant when something caught her eye: the light reflecting off her diamond ring, her _engagement ring._

She stared at it long and hard. How many times had she just want to thrust it off her finger and into the ocean, or someplace she would never see it again? How many times had it been the object of her misery?

She was marrying a fool, a fool who had been her best friend for years. "He doesn't love me, and I don't love him. Why did I say yes?" she whispered.

She sucked in a shaky breath, as she traced a facet of the gem with her nail.

"I'm so stupid. "

And then her thoughts went back to Neji. "I don't give a damn what he's doing right now, I need to talk to him."

She set down her plate, stuffed the note back in her pocket, and headed back to her room. As she stepped into the elevator, she wiped the few tears she allowed herself to shed.

-With Neji-

The Hyuuga was on his tiptoes trying to reach a bottle of marinara sauce while balancing a dozen other foods in his arms.

He cursed under his breath. "So close…"

And then his phone rang and he dropped everything. He squatted down, hastily gathering his things in a haphazard pile before answering in quite an annoyed manner, "What?" he snapped.

Whoever had called was silent for a moment.

"N-Neji?" a feminine voice, a _familiar voice_, finally spoke.

Neji's eyes widened with recognition. "Tenten, hi!"

"Hi," came a breathy reply.

"Uh-uh sorry about that," the Hyuuga said, scratching the back of his head, "I just… dropped some things."

He was sure the female on the other end was nodding, "It's alright."

Neji gathered the boxes and cans and stood up. "So umm… what's up?"

"Huh? Oh! I'm… fine. I was just… thinking about you. Umm… I was hoping that we could, you know... meet up sometime. Like… I wouldn't mind driving down to Boston or maybe…you could drive up here? Sometime, anytime you like I'm available."

Neji nearly fell over at the proposal. "Uh-I-we can meet today. Like-like this evening somewhere."

His mind whirled, so absolutely excited to see her again.

"Neji, that-that isn't necessary! We-your family-"

"Are the strangest bunch of people I have ever met. They'll be fine without me. Somehow, no matter the amount of disasters they have faced, they always seem to survive."

"Unfortunately," he added under his breath.

"Well… alright. Tonight then. Where would you like to meet?"

"Brooklyn Bridge at 6:30," Neji answered. "We –we can go eat afterwards."

"Alright. I'll-I'll see you them. Bye."

"Bye," Neji said before hanging up. His heart swelled with anticipation. And if anyone ever saw him skip back to his cart, they merely smirked and went on with their business.

-With Tenten-

Tenten bit her lip and stood up from the chair. As she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror, she questioned herself, "What have I done?"

Her train of thought was interrupted, however, by a knock.

"Coming!" she called, hurriedly making her way to the door. She mentally winced as she saw the one person she wished would die at the moment.

"Good afternoon, Shikamaru," she greeted, tugging at the hem of her shirt. The male yawned and stretched his arms.

"Good afternoon. Can I come in?"

"No!" Tenten's mind screamed. But her mouth said opposite and she cracked the door open a bit more for him to slip in.

He plopped down in the desk chair, eyeing her with passiveness.

"You seem out of it," he noted aloud.

Tenten shook her head at him. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

Shikamaru shrugged and averted his gaze to the window. With that, he purposefully lost himself in cloud gazing.

The Murakami could no longer stand to be in his presence. She shoved her arms into her coat and slung her purse onto her shoulder. Without sparing her fiancé another glance, she left.

-With Neji-

Neji stuffed his things into his suitcase and hauled his luggage down the stairs.

"I have to leave on urgent business," he responded to everyone who demanded to know where he was going.

"He's so got a girlfriend," Hanabi whispered to her sister as they chopped the vegetables.

Hinata rolled her eyes at her little sister. "I think it's cute."

"You think that idiot blonde, Naruto, is cute. And that pretty much proves you'd think a pile of trash was full of giddy goodness," Hanabi retorted and was promptly smacked.

"Shut up."

And so she did.

-With Tenten-

Tenten wrung her hands as she sat on a park bench. She swallowed, her throat, dry as it was, ached.

"Maybe he won't come. But I want him to come! Gah!" she rubbed her temples. The Murakami stuffed her hands into her coat pockets and stood up.

She tilted her head to look up at the darkening sky. "I should be heading back. I-I have to tell him when he comes. I can't hide it forever. Even if it'll kill us both," she thought.

She began to head in the direction of the hotel, walking as slowly as she could.

When she arrived, Shikamaru was waiting for her in the lobby.

"Where have you been? I tried calling you nothing short of ten times!" he fumed.

"I was out."

The Nara rolled his eyes, "Well obviously! Have you forgotten? We have plans," he said, tapping his foot.

Tenten furrowed her eyebrows.

"We do?" she asked.

Shikamaru sighed, "You and I are supposed to dine with my parents in thirty minutes!"

His words ripped the Murakami's heart in half.

"I-we-what? I never agreed to this! I already have plans!" she cried, frustrated.

"Excuse me? You already have plans?" her fiancé grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.

"Let go of me!" Tenten growled, taking hold of his wrists. The two had developed into quite a spectacle for their fellow guests.

"No! Listen to me! Go and get ready and be back down here in fifteen minutes. Understand?"

The brunette female shook her head wildly, "No! I'm not doing this! I already have plans! Let me be!" she demanded.

"No I won't! Go!" Shikamaru commanded. Tenten's vision blurred with tears. Her hands fisted into balls.

"No!" she shouted.

The Nara attempted to take hold of her hand and drag upstairs, but his fiancé slapped him before he had the chance.

Shikamaru was stunned into silence. Tenten turned around and walked right back the way she came.

-With Neji-

The Hyuuga swerved to the left and then the right, his foot pressing the accelerator till it went numb.

He glanced at the digital clock every few seconds, his heart pounding.

"I can't be late, " he told himself over and over again.

Soon enough, however, the Brooklyn Bridge came into view, and Neji had other matters to worry about.

"I hope I don't look like a riot," he prayed, clutching the steering wheel tightly.

-With Tenten-

"I-I can't do this," the Murakami whispered to herself, rolling her ring in her hand. She had arrived at the bridge about twenty minutes ago and remained deep in thought.

"But-But if I were to-to cancel the engagement then- no! I couldn't do that. Besides, Neji probably doesn't want to marry me. But… in that note he-he-maybe he does want to. But…Gah! Why must this all be so confusing?"

Tenten gazed at the ring wearily and then glanced at the river spanning below her. She looked at the ring again, and fighting tears, she swung her arm back, preparing to launch the dreaded piece of jewelry out of her life forever.

But her plans were soiled, when someone called her name.

"Tenten?"

She pivoted on her heel quickly, facing her date for the evening.

"Neji…" she trailed off, quickly wiping her face.

The Hyuuga cocked his head to the side, perplexed.

"Hey, why are you crying?" he asked softly, brushing away a stray tear.

"I'm-I'm fine. I just-I shouldn't have done this. We shouldn't be here," she said.

Neji was confused, and put his hand on her shoulder to prevent her from turning around.

"What are you saying?" he questioned.

Tenten pressed her lips together and shook her head.

"Tenten, tell me what's going on," Neji pressed.

"Neji-I-when we met in the airport I-I didn't really tell you why I was coming here, did I?" she whispered.

The Hyuuga shook his head.

"I-I came here for my engagement. I-I'm getting married. You looked so-so-I don't know… But something about you made me want to hide it. I-I really liked you from the beginning and I didn't want you to-to-I don't know… leave, I guess."

Neji looked like he wanted to jump and be swallowed by something, anything that would relieve him of his nightmare.

"…Oh," he said, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Neji, I'm really sorry. I-"

"It's- it's Mr. Hyuuga to you."

Tenten was silent, her hands tightened around the fabric of his blazer.

"Wh-what?" she asked, refusing to believe what was going on.

Neji couldn't bring himself to say goodbye. He just couldn't leave her hanging like that. She looked so helpless and confused. But he knew it was the best he could do for both of them. He should end this relationship before it developed into something out of their hands.

"Ms. Murakami, it was a pleasure knowing you. Best of luck with your wedding." He patted her shoulder before turning to leave.

It wasn't until he was nearly off the bridge did he hear a thunderous "no" echoing through the night.

He saw Tenten's crazed form barreling towards him at light speed. And so he ran away from her.

Panting and frightened, he jabbed his keys into his car's ignition and sped off.

Tenten stopped and watched his tail lights fade and used all her strength to not collapse on the pavement right there and then.

She trudged back to the bridge, and screaming with rage, she flung her ring into the river.

And afterwards, she went down with it.

…**..**

**A/N: Thank you for reading and please review! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I was surprised at how many people actually liked this. So, thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, etc. Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. **

…**..**

She was choking, sputtering, gasping for breath. The world was starting to blur. She clawed at the water around her, wanting to drown, wanting it to force her down, but it wouldn't.

There was a flash, shouting, and heavy hands grasping her wrists and hoisting her out of a watery grave. She struggled, squirming till they dropped her. But it was to no avail; the hands grabbed her again and pulled her to safety.

Tenten sat up, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the dark. She clutched the covers draped over her body as she searched the room for life.

There was none. She was alone. She couldn't say she disliked the loneliness, in fact, she preferred it, chose it, and it nearly killed her.

She swallowed, her throat dry. She coughed, turning to the bedside table for a glass of water. She expected one to be there, and so it was. She reached for it, her hands trembling as she raised it to her lips and took a gulp.

She wasn't sure where she was; it was certainly not a hospital, nor a hotel room. It seemed more like a home.

And then she smelled it, _him_. Immediately her head snapped in the direction of the window. Sitting below the ledge was a figure.

"Neji…" she thought. Her fingers twitched, and she dropped the cup. It shattered on the ground, waking the Hyuuga from whatever trance had captivated him. He looked at her, his eyes illuminated by the moonlight.

"Tenten?" he whispered. The female bit her lip, unsure if she should answer or not. Neji got to his feet, wobbling as if he had been sitting for long time. He made his way over to her, trapping her hand in his own.

"What were you thinking?" he demanded. Tenten blinked, surprised at the sudden shift in atmosphere.

"What?" the Murakami croaked.

Neji sighed and sat down beside her. He stroked her cheek and pressed his forehead to hers.

"You nearly died!" he exclaimed.

"What if I wanted to?" Tenten asked, after a momentary pause. Neji seemed flabbergasted by the notion.

"Wanted to! Tenten, what about your family, your fiancé, your dreams? Huh?" he questioned. He did not dare to include himself in the bunch; even though he was quite sure he would be affected the most by her death.

"I don't like him, my fiancé. We're just getting married for the sake of having a spouse. Someone to cut our work loads in half. He's been my best friend for years, but-but every time he thinks about our marriage-every time I think about it- I-I just want to cry. We don't want this, but there is no other option for us left!" she cried.

"You do have another option!" Neji insisted.

"And what would that be?" she demanded.

"Run away with me." The sentence hung in the air between them. Both of them wanted it, but one wasn't willing and the other was a fool.

"Run away?" the Murakami whispered, "Are you mad?"

Neji shook his head. "I want you to be with me, _always_," he told her, gently slipping her engagement ring off her finger. It rolled off the bed and landed among the shards of glass on the floor with a soft "tink."

"Neji… why… how did you even get me here? Where is 'here' anyway?" the female quickly changed the subject, requiring some time to think.

"This is my home. You see, I turned back after an hour of driving. I really couldn't just leave you like that. So, when I got back to the bridge, there was a crowd of people watching a rescue team. I nearly fainted when I saw it was you they were fishing out of the water. I didn't want them to take you to the hospital, but they insisted you could be injured and may die if you don't get medical attention. So, I let them, but I-I lied and told them I was your husband and so, they let me take you home.

I met your fiancé, by the way. He was angry, and he-he kept saying I was kidnapping you and that I really wasn't your husband, I was a complete stranger, but since I had come first and looked a hell of a lot more worried than he did, they believed me. And that's why you're here," he explained, "No come with me. Far away from here."

"Neji, I can't just do that! What about Shikamaru? And-" Tenten's argument was interrupted.

"What about _you_? It's nice that you care about him, but what do _you_ want?" Neji asked her.

"I-I don't know what I want," the female answered, "But, I think running away will make matters worse."

"Tenten, tell me right now. Do you love me?" The Hyuuga questioned. Tenten swallowed and bit her lip. If she responded, she would most certainly say something that would hurt him. She was never good at being tactless. And so she looked down at her hands, hoping he'd leave her alone for the moment. But to her despair, he placed a finger under her chin and forced her to look at him.

"I love you," he told her, pronouncing every word slowly so she would understand and make no false interpretations. He made move to leave, but Tenten grabbed his elbow and pulled him back down. He leaned forward, till their lips nearly brushed against each other.

She didn't know what had possessed her to do that, but she didn't like how cold it was when he wasn't near her. "Tenten, tell me right now. I need to know."

She nodded, first slowly, than furiously, pressing her forehead to his, doing nothing but crying. "I-I do lo-lo-like you," she hesitated at the last second.

"_Love_, Tenten. _Like_ isn't the same as _love_," Neji insisted.

"I can't say that! I'm not sure," the Murakami cried, "Just stop asking!" Neji frowned, looking quite angry and a bit disappointed.

"When are you flying back home?" he asked, fed up with running in circles.

"Home? I don't have a home," the female said, knowing it was nearly true.

"Excuse me? Do you take me for a fool! Of course you have a home!" he shouted, enraged.

"I have a _house_, Neji. Not a _home_. A _home _is your haven. A place where there's someone you _love._ It's a place very dear to you. A _house_ is a shelter, just a resting quarter, nothing more. Understand?" she told him, wiping the last few tears that dared to drop.

Neji was silent, fists clenched, and his facial muscles pulled taught, wrinkling his skin. He stormed out of the room, slamming the door as hard as he could.

Tenten glared at the blankets, quite disturbed by the hour's events. She lay down, staring at the ceiling, absolutely restless. When Mrs. Hyuuga (Neji's mother) came up to tell her breakfast was ready, the Murakami had just finished shifting her position for the fiftieth time.

"Dear, breakfast is on the table. Come eat," the woman said softly, sitting down at the edge of the bed and placing her hand on Tenten's shoulder. Tenten didn't respond, still upset.

"He's been sitting on the porch for hours, thinking about you I'm sure. You can talk to him afterwards. I think he's sobered down a bit," the Hyuuga told her, finally attracting her attention. Tenten grudgingly followed her down the stairs, praying everyone would be silent during the meal. She was in no mood of conversing even the most trivial topic, even one that interested her.

Breakfast consisted of omelets, pancakes, hash browns, and the likes. It helped lighten her mood just a tiny bit, but she knew that confronting Neji was the only way for her to feel whole again.

And so she did, stuffing an English muffin in her mouth before opening the screen door to the porch. Neji was seated on a swing, his head bowed and his hands intertwined.

"Did you eat?" she asked, gingerly lowering herself next to him. Neji didn't respond, and even turned his head in the opposite direction.

"I know you're upset, but-fine, look here, I-I-upstairs I think-" she started, trying to form a coherent sentence.

"I no longer wish to concern myself with you," the white-eyed male cut her off again, "Just leave."

"No! I-I really do-umm… you know…"

"No, I don't know. Care to enlighten me?" Neji said. He was trying to get her to say the three words that would most certainly change her life forever. She wanted to say them, but something was holding her back. _Fear_ was preventing her from reaching her happiness, she soon realized.

"Neji-"

"Mr. Hyuuga," he corrected her. Tenten heaved a sigh.

"Fine, Mr. Hyuuga, you can't pressure me into saying anything I don't want to. If you'd let our relationship thrive, than maybe, there would come a time when I could say it. Alright?" she proposed.

"Say what?" he questioned, turning to meet her gaze.

"I lo-" she stopped herself.

"You…" Neji urged.

"Stop. You think this is a joke? You think if I said it by being tricked, it'd mean anything? You're a fool, Mr. Hyuuga," Tenten told him, glaring. Neji was silent.

"Fine," when he spoke again, his voice was trembling. It seemed so distant and tiny. "If I give you time. If I let 'our relationship thrive' as you put it, will you come with me?" he asked.

Tenten thought about this for a moment, before nodding, "Fine. But where are we going?"

Neji managed to crack a small smile, "We're going to find you a _home."_

…**..**

**A/N: Thank you for reading and please review! **


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